Raymond B. Winter State Park

Raymond B. Winter State Park is a 695 acre park located within Bald Eagle State Forest.  The park provides diverse recreational opportunities.  The 7 acre Halfway Lake provides swimming and fishing opportunities.  The park also provides camping and picnicking opportunities.  The dam of Halfway Lake was the first stone and cement dam the Civilian Conservation Corps built in the United States.  The swimming area has a beach with an area for beach volleyball, lounging, and swimming.  Plenty of picnic benches are adjacent to Halfway Lake.  Halfway lake is a cold-water lake stocked with brown, rainbow, and brook trout.

Feature Summary

• Official website: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/RaymondBWinterStatePark/Pages/default.aspx
• Campsites: 61 site campground with mostly electrical hookups, 3 camping cottages
• Firewood availability: at the campground near site 61
• Bath Facilities: Modern Bath House, Wash Sink
• Hiking: 6.3 miles of trails
• Other Activities: Swimming, fishing, picnicking
• Cellphone reception: non-existent
• Dates We Visited: 7/2024

Camping

Raymond B. Winter offers a 61 site fully wooded campground.  Most of the sites have electrical hookups and are relatively level.  The campground is on the side mountain.  The campground is split into 3 loops, the Short Loop, Long Loop, and  Upper Loop.  The bath house is located in the Long loop near the Upper Loop.  It is a hike uphill from the short loop the bath house.  If you are in the Short Loop, the closest bathroom is across Keystone Road.  Check out the park naturalist programs that are fun for both kids and adults alike.

Hiking

Rapid Run Nature Trail (1.09 mi., easiest hiking):  The Rapid Run Nature Trail is a scenic trail that loops through old growth eastern hemlock, white pines, springs, sphagnum moss, and vernal pools.  The trail is an easy hike and starts at the beach area.

Overlook Trail (0.88 mi., more difficult hiking):  The Overlook Trail starts at the beach area.  It winds up the mountain to an overlook 300 ft above the park and then proceeds across the ridge.  The Overlook Trail then connects with the Boiling Spring Trail to form a loop.  There are places on the trail that are fairly rocky making for a technical trail across the ridge.

Boiling Spring Trail (1.41 mi, easiest hiking):  The Boiling Spring trail is an easy trail that follows a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) water line.  Hikers can view the original CCC springhouse and enjoy ferns and mountain laurel along the hike.  We took the Boiling Spring Trail back to the lake from the Overlook Trail.

Lakeside Trail (0.6, easiest hiking):  The lakeside trail circles halfway lake and can be used as a connector for the Overlook, Rapid Run Nature Trail, and Boiling Spring Trail from the campground.  The lakeside trail by itself is a loop around the Halfway Lake.